Boost Your Curb Appeal With a Bungalow Look

We cruise through one of our favorite Craftsman bungalow hoods in Houston, searching for curb appeal ideas to steal.

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5 Reasons We Love Bungalows

1. Their all-American good looks have been going strong since the late 19th century, when the first ones popped up. History buffs: Their heyday was in the 1920s.
2. Hello, wide porches! It's like having a whole extra room. Most can fit an outdoor sofa, two chairs, a rug, even a coffee table.
3. They're small but they live large. Rooms are spacious, and the ceilings are high. It's a great starter home or family home.
4. They look cute in any color, from bright white to sage green. And there are so many details to paint — the columns, the trim work and the porch floor.
5. The charm factor is through the (gabled) roof!

Green Dream

Homeowner: David FunderburgHouse built in: 1928When he bought it: 2009
"The fact that the 83-year-old floors creak and sing a little bit when I walk on them is so cool!"
 David FunderburgCopy the Curb Appeal!The Paint Colors: House: Colonial Revival Green Stone; Trim: Classical White; Railing and accent trim: Chestnut Bronze (All by Sherwin-Williams)The Flowerpots: Skip the terra-cotta! Try bright white. Great source: simplyplanters.com. The Front Door: A true Craftsman-style door has six panes of glass. Find one in mahogany (like David's) at internationaldoor.com. The Yard: Knock Out roses and hawthorn shrubs fill the front beds. The tree is a Bradford Pear, which blooms white in the spring.

Classy Black and White

Homeowners: Carol and Gordon YeattsHouse built in: 1903
When they bought it: 2009"This was our first house together as newlyweds. We still spend almost every morning and evening on our big porch."  Carol YeattsCopy the Curb Appeal!The Paint Colors: House: White Dove; Trim: Black; Porch floor: Pilgrim Haze (All by Benjamin Moore)The Siding: The Yeattses clad the whole house in HardiePlank siding (available at Lowe's). It has a 30-year guarantee. The Walkway: Reclaimed bricks start at about 40 cents each and, boy, do they add character! Great source: bricksalvage.com.The Yard: Fragrant white jasmine climbs the iron arbor. Palms and pretty grasses made us stop and do a double take!

Gorgeous Porch

Homeowners: Nick Eronko and Gilbert Joseph PerezHouse built in: 1914When they bought it: 2008"This house was about to be torn down, but we saved it from the wrecking ball. It has a great soul and energy."  Gilbert Joseph PerezCopy the Curb Appeal!The Paint Colors: House: Townsend Harbor Brown; Trim: Lancaster Whitewash; Porch floor: Mink (All by Benjamin Moore)The Shingles: Check out cedarshinglesdirect.com for prestained cedar shingle options in more than 100 colors.The Railings: They look like they came off a gingerbread house  very storybook! Find a skilled carpenter with a good imagination to pull off this look.The Yard: Hardy plants like Russian sage set in moss rocks mean no mowing.

Blue Beauty

Homeowners: Yvonne and John CosgroveHouse built in: 1900When they bought it: 1999"We fell in love with this house after we came to an estate sale here. It had great bones."  John CosgroveCopy the Curb Appeal!The Paint Colors: House: Vast Sky; Trim: Dover White; Porch floor: Mega Greige (All by Sherwin-Williams)The Woodwork: The white stripe running across the front of the house is called dentil trim; find it at architecturaldepot.com.The Windows: Three tall panes over one is 100 percent Craftsman. So are the transom and sidelight windows around the door.The Yard: A pair of mature crape myrtles frames the house. Can you believe they were planted just five years ago?

How to Spot a Craftsman Bungalow

Curb Appeal: The Block's John Gidding gives a quickie design lesson. Look for:
 A low-pitched gabled roof with deep eaves (the roof overhang).
 A large porch that’s nearly or fully the width of the house.
 Tapered columns to support the large roof.
 Exposed roof rafters and brackets  sometimes these are purely decorative.
 Wood siding or shingles, with accents in stone, brick, or stucco.
 Sash windows with multiple panes. Often it's four or six panes above a single panel.
 Copper, brass, wrought-iron or bronze hardware and fixtures.